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Note 8
 9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2013
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]  
Cash and Cash Equivalents Disclosure [Text Block]

8.  Cash represents cash deposited in checking accounts. Cash equivalents includes certificates of deposit, Treasury Bills and government money market funds with maturities of 90 days or less when purchased. Our cash balances are held at a few financial institutions and may, at times, exceed insurable amounts. We believe we help to mitigate this risk by depositing our cash in major financial institutions.  


Restricted cash and cash equivalents on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, totaled to $24.0 million and $64.2 million as of July 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively, which includes cash collateralizing our letter of credit agreements and facilities and is discussed in Note 10. Also included in this balance are homebuilding and financial services customers’ deposits of $5.9 million and $12.9 million at July 31, 2013, respectively, and $4.8 million and $22.5 million as of October 31, 2012, respectively, which are restricted from use by us. In addition, we previously collateralized our surety bonds with cash, but as of April 30, 2013 are no longer required to do so. The balance of this surety bond collateral was $6.2 million at October 31, 2012, which was in cash equivalents, the book value of which approximates fair value.  


Total Homebuilding Customers’ deposits are shown as a liability on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These liabilities are significantly more than the applicable periods’ escrow cash balances because, in some states, the deposits are not restricted from use and, in other states, we are able to release the majority of this escrow cash by pledging letters of credit and surety bonds.